Ecuador wants military base in Miami

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Reuters

Ecuador wants military base in Miami
Mon Oct 22, 2007 3:38pm BST
By Phil Stewart

NAPLES (Reuters) - Ecuador's leftist President Rafael Correa said Washington must let him open a military base in Miami if the United States wants to keep using an air base on Ecuador's Pacific coast.

Correa has refused to renew Washington's lease on the Manta air base, set to expire in 2009. U.S. officials say it is vital for counter-narcotics surveillance operations on Pacific drug-running routes.

"We'll renew the base on one condition: that they let us put a base in Miami -- an Ecuadorean base," Correa said in an interview during a trip to Italy.

"If there's no problem having foreign soldiers on a country's soil, surely they'll let us have an Ecuadorean base in the United States."



Read more: http://uk.reuters.com/article/reutersEdge/idUKADD25267520071022

---

Rafael Correa Delgado

[bigworld]

1. sounds fair to me

[SharonAnn]

64. Me too!

[villager]

2. The Bushistas must be preparing the coup there as we speak...

n/t

[WileEcoyote]

48. Probably correct

Except the administration may not have enough time left to demonize Ecuador.

[On the Road]

75. I Can Just Image Bush Saying

"Ecuador -- Be afraid. Be very afraid."

[KansDem]

3. Works for me...

I suggest he go one step further and announce he will seek to establish up a missile-defense system to protect his country from "rogue nations." You know, the kind that flies nuclear weapons around in B-52s without knowing it...

[John Q. Citizen]

4. Lots of drug going through Miami. An Ecuadorian base there could help stop the smugglers!

Truely a bi-lateral proposal in the spirit of international cooperation.

[TroubleMan]

44. Ha, ha, ha so true.

I wish he would say that.

[Traveling_Home]

5. How much will they pay in Rent?

Costs in Miami are through the roof. There are 43,560 sq ft in an acre. Say $50 per sq foot. About $2.2 mil per acre. Need at least 500 acres for any decent size military base - maybe a billion in rent a year plus all the food, labor, civilian hires, etc. Hmmmmmmm

How's Ecuador's Oil doing these days or will Hugo help out?

[Igel]

12. I'd say yes.

Find a patch of ground, and then lease it to them.

They can do the EPA studies, they can put in whatever infrastructure they need and their air force can fly in and out what's needed.

If one of their guys gets out of line, we can discuss what they'll do and the necessary PR campaign in order to make sure Americans don't resent the foreign troops.

And, of course, we can discuss any kind of perks they'd pay for the privilege, how many Americans (and under what conditions) they'd have to employ.

No problem.

[formercia]

21. Encourage them to take Republican war brides.

It probably won't make a dent in South Florida.

[LiberalFighter]

69. One of those Miami Cuban (Republican) sites would do the job.

[IndyOp]

29. To figure out how much to charge them, we should find out how much we pay them...

If we pay them the prevailing rate for the base in Ecuador then it would make sense that they pay us the prevailing rate in Miami. If, however, we pay them nothing - then they shouldn't have to pay us... Correct?

:hi:

[onethatcares]

31. why not lease it to them at $1.00 a year

and our government gets a cut of whatever drugs they sieze? Win/win proposition

[mallard]

98. Heck where's the ...

... CIA going to fly their cocaine out of now? This is a huge dilemma

[gratuitous]

6. Sorry, President Correa

But the Bush administration has unilaterally declared the Goose and Gander Principle null and void, at least as it pertains to obligations of the United States. Too quaint, doncha know.

[yava]

60. imagine

Interesting speculation: so the Saudis reciprocate by asking for military bases in the USA and so do the Europeans. Then a bunch of US patriots decide that they cannot tolerate foreign bases and armed soldiers not subjected to civilian American constitutional law in NYC. They conclude that its their patriotic duty to remove them or die!
What the hell ;)

[Sneaky Sailor]

7. Manta is a shithole anyways

No Beer, Cant leave the base, good riddance.

[Judi Lynn]

8. That 's what they're after. They don't like it, themselves.

Some consider the Manta facility “illegal” because when the US negotiated its 10-year lease of the property with Ecuadorian President Jamil Mahuad in 1999, the Ecuadorian legislature never approved the deal. Rafael Correa, Ecuador’s newly-elected president, plans to evict the US from the airbase when its lease is up in 2009. During his campaign, he told the New York Times: “We can negotiate with the U.S. about a base in Manta, and if they let us put a military base in Miami, if there is no problem, we’ll accept.”

http://www.radioopensource.org/a-base-by-any-other-name/



The half-wit who gave away his country's air base
without the necessary approval of his own legislature.

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

93. Oh, the lease is up? And he can choose not to renew? Shades of RCTV...

No, wait, don't tell me: we'll be hearing how Correa "illegally" and "arbitrarily" expelled the poor Americans!

[Judi Lynn]

95. Exactly! That will be the spin! There'll be idiots coming out of the woodwork

mad as hornets, totally uninformed about the facts of the situation, and too stupid to do any research AGAIN.

They'll clog up the message boards yammering on and on about what a dictator Rafael Correa is, how much they hate communists, how dare they throw us out, and how we should bomb them back to the Stone Age.

[DLnyc]

9. Yes!! They can do kool-aid interdiction and recovery operations

I think it's wonderful that countries that once were afraid to even seem disrespectful to the 'great USA' are now openly laughing in our face.

This is not sarcastic. I think it's a great thing. May the American Empire crumble, the sooner the better. Then we can get on with trying to make an honest living in the world like everyone else, without a hideously bloated military/industrial/propaganda parasite industry sucking all the wealth and energy out of our society.

Yay bushcheney! They are destroying the Empire here, so that the rest of the world doesn't have to destroy it over there!

[annabanana]

10. Sure. Why not?

We're both sovereign nations, right.. We can BOTH decide what's best for our own country, right?

[Dr.Phool]

11. Don't give Maliki any ideas.

The Iraqi's will want bases in Texas next.

[rich1107]

28. and the problem with that is?;)

[Judi Lynn]

13. Ecuador was among the other Latin American countries which refused to grant immunity to Bush

Blanket Immunity Bush Twists Arms to Evade Court {ICC}
By Amitabh Pal
The Progressive
January 1, 2007

~snip~
Ecuador also held off Washington.

"Absolutely no one is going to make me cower," then-Ecuadorian President Alfredo Palacio told a television station in June 2005. "Neither the government, nor Alfredo Palacio, nor the Ecuadorian people need to be afraid."

"The U.S. has the democratic right to deny help to nations with which we do not have protection for our military," then-U.S. Ambassador to Ecuador Kristie Kenney said. But U.S. browbeating of successive Ecuadorian governments had the opposite of the intended effect, uniting the country's politicians against the United States. Ecuador has lost more than $17 million in military training and is scheduled to lose $7 million in economic assistance in the current fiscal year, including money for democracy-building and fighting corruption.
(snip/...)

http://www.globalsolutions.org/in_the_news/news_blanket_immunity_bush_twists_arms_evade_court_icc

[Hydra]

14. A nice middle finger sent to Bushco

:thumbsup:

Such middle fingers always make me smile...and I get to see more of them all the time :evilgrin:

[MLFerrell]

15. Why does his newspaper say "I won the salt cod!"?

Is salt cod some sort of Ecuadorian metaphor of which I am unaware?

[Maestro]

57. It actually says,

"The Cod Won!" :) The caption below states that "cod" was the derogatory term leveled against him by his opponent so the article is really a tongue and cheek slap in the face to his rival.

[Judi Lynn]

68. Thank you for the illumination! It's almost impossible to believe that

this slimy little maggot, Ecuador's wealthiest man, Álvaro Noboa, the "King of Bananas" had the nerve to mock Rafael Correa!





Noboa's Wiki:

Álvaro Noboa
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Álvaro Fernando Noboa Pontón (born November 1, 1950 in Guayaquil) is an Ecuadorian businessman and politician.

Noboa is actively involved in politics, running for president in 1998, 2002 and 2006. Noboa is the wealthiest man in Ecuador. He assumed control of the Noboa Group of companies after a lengthy legal battle with his siblings following the death of his father, a banana magnate and billionaire, in 1993 <1>. His foundation Crusade for a New Humanity <2> (Spanish: Cruzada Nueva Humanidad) draws on his personal fortune to fund social projects. Some have criticized this work, including former President Rodrigo Borja, who said that "Álvaro Noboa doesn't give out ideas; he gives out gifts."<3>

Noboa has opposed campaigns for workers' rights within his own companies, and Noboa Group workers have been illegally dismissed for joining trade unions.<4> <5>. In one 2002 incident striking workers at a Noboa subsidiary were attacked and–according to a Human Rights Watch report–several were shot by organized assailants.<6> <7> Noboa Group was also criticized in a HRW investigation into child labor practices in the banana industry. <8>
(snip)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alvaro_Noboa

Álvaro Fernando Noboa was the candidate _{George Bush} wanted to win. That's right. Noboa has called Correa a
“communist devil.” Why isn't he posting on these threads, anyway?

Human Rights Watch has the information of the children who work on the plantations which supply his company, although he, of course, simply denies it. Case closed!

[Maestro]

85. Alvaro "I have billions but I make children work" Noboa

Sounds like a nice guy. :sarcasm: It looks like many SA countries are taking a decided turn to the left.

[MasonJar]

16. Hey, that is so magnifique! You tell them, Correa. You have just got

to love the new cadre of leaders in South America. It is pretty obvious that they are tired of the USA bulls__t.

[codjh9]

17. Hah! That's great. I like the chutzpah of many Latin American leaders these days.

[Bitwit1234]

18. See what cheney says about that.

tit for tat right.

[rAVES]

40. "wipe them out...all of them"

[Kittycat]

19. ROFLMAO - That's great - more countries need to be like that. eom

[Auggie]

20. I'm laughing too.

[jeff30997]

22. I can't wait to hear the Chimp say:

"I told you that Correa was part of the Axis of Evil!"

[ooglymoogly]

23. The Federales and the State dept wont like this at all

Interfering in their monopoly on drug smuggling and threatening their eye in the sky to keep competition in line is a dangerous no, no.

[jelly]

24. Wow. Correa makes me proud to be an Ecuadorian.

Fat chance Bush will allow it but good for Correa for making the point.

[Judi Lynn]

30. jelly! Didn't know. Congratuations on your terrific President. He's got guts. It's a delight seeing

there are some leaders who aren't remotely interested in getting handouts or a pat on the back from the beast in our White House.

They are doing what they were elected to do: look after the best interests of their fellow citizens. Wish we could say the same about our own President.

[jelly]

70. If nothing else, Ecuadorians tend to be a proud bunch.

My family back there was actually intimately involved in his opponent, Noboa's, campaign. I try not to judge, as they are lovely people and had their heart in the right place (one of my cousins is married to Noboa's son). I was privately glad back around the time when Correa won and even more so now.

[Judi Lynn]

73. This president sounds as if he really cares greatly about his country.

He's bright, and committed.

Hoping he and the other new leaders are going to be able to pull Latin America out of the nightmare they've been living with so very, very long. It's only right.

They've had a very long time to learn from the mistakes of earlier, less conscientious Presidents who found it easy to buckle to pressure from right-wing commercial interests in the U.S., corporations and military enforcers. It's time for a new way of life. Now. Not a replay of what has already happened, to the detriment of so many, many people.

[Vogon_Glory]

25. Give The Man What He Wants! How About Homestead AFB?

How about leasing Homestead AFB to the Ecuadorian military? As I recall, Homestead closed down and I'm sure that area merchants would love to have a new tenant.

:P

[Joey Liberal]

26. Sounds reasonable to me n/t

[Joey Liberal]

27. Give him Idaho...................n/t

[Thickasabrick]

32. I love this guy! n/t

[Tarc]

33. Good to see South and Central America make progress

No more CIA-backed Operation Condors to thwart the will of the people this time around. Every time I see another left-leaning government elected to power down there I cheer, and the cheer is validated when we see that they do not lose their spines once actually in office.

[gateley]

34. I LOVE this! Hope more countries - and our Congress - will stand up to Bush more and more! nt

[DLnyc]

45. Perhaps there is a "laughing at neocons feedback effect"

The more they are laughed at, the less they are feared, so the less they can intimidate, so the less their power is, so the more they are laughed at so . . .

Also, with Saudi's and China refusing to cut interest rates when the fed did, with China 'diversifying' its dollar holdings, with Brits and Poles pulling out of Iraq occupation, with Putin telling Condi and Gates to shove it (including making them wait 30 minutes at their big summit), who knows, maybe someday soon even our DEMOCRATIC LEADERSHIP will catch up with progressives like Kucinich, Webb, Feingold and many others and STOP BEING INTIMIDATED by these jerks.

(anyway, we can always hope.)

[witchgman]

56. The Devil can take anything but........

being laughed at.

[Lydia Leftcoast]

35. Why not?

Why should the U.S. have military outposts in scores of countries and no one else has military outposts HERE?

We're not imperialists or anything... :sarcasm:

[Unveiled19]

36. Hey

Anything that thumbs its' nose at the Bush admin. must be a good thing right? (even if it is bad)

[rAVES]

39. Welcome freeper!!! lol

Hope you're enjoying the show :)

[Unveiled19]

41. Not really.

Bored waiting for the magician to pull the rabbit out of the hat. LOL:)

[dickbearton]

37. Good for Correa, FU Bush.

[rAVES]

38. That.. is hilarious! can you imagine the chimps face when he heard this?

Expect anti Ecuador propaganda on fox any day now.

[Judi Lynn]

42. They're kinda handicapped by a scarcity of usable material right now, but they are running with what

they've got, like this:

Correa, a popular leftist economist, had promised to cut off his arm before extending the lease that ends in 2009 and has called U.S. President George W. Bush a "dimwit".
(snip)

Bu-bu-bu-but he c-ca-ca-called P-P-P-President Bu-buh-buh-bush a "d-d-d-di-dii-di-diiiimww-w-wit!"
(From the original post above)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
As Peace Patriot has reminded DU, Rafael Correa remarked, when the press ran to him to get his reaction to Chavez' calling _Bush the "devil:"

Rafael Correa, who was then running for president in Ecuador, commented on Chavez calling Bush "the devil" that it was "an insult to the devil"

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x2789502

[jelly]

71. Well, that's a scary thought.

I've been dreading the day Ecuadorians became the next demonized minority in America. And here I am, in conservative North Carolina. :scared:

[robinlynne]

43. right on!

[Mosaic]

46. Awesome

He's absolutely right about that, I'm so sick of this country abusing other countries around the world. That crap has to stop someday!

[Sarah Ibarruri]

47. I don't see why not. It's fair. The U.S. wants a base there, Ecuador must have a base here. nt

[Amonester]

49. If "U.S. officials" (who believes one word they say?) let them have

a military base near Miami, maybe they'll be efficient at stopping Right-Wing Blackwater's "stolen" airplanes from smuggling drugs between Manta and Miami...

"U.S. officials say it is vital for counter-narcotics surveillance operations on Pacific drug-running routes." Yeah... right!

As the sayin' goes: "Fool me once, shame on you..."

[sasquatch]

50. Only if they promise to expel all the Batista loyalist in Florida

[NoGodsNoMasters]

54. Here, here!

Sounds like a lovely idea.

[sasquatch]

59. I thought some people would like that

[John Gauger]

51. This guy has balls.

And he's smart. He's making us all think how it must be to live in one of the expendable countries. The idea of housing foreign troops is beyond odious - now we know how they feel.

[NBachers]

52. Colonized and Indentured

It sounds funny, until you realize: we've already been colonized and indentured.

[Arugula Latte]

53. That's great! More leaders of other countries should stand up to the little shit.

:applause: Correa

[NoGodsNoMasters]

55. Kudos to Delgado!

Oh, when theres' a foreign countries' military base on US soil it's a HUGE imposition, yet they should be flattered to have armed americans getting wasted and raising all kinds of hell. Chalmers Johnson has a fantastic chapter in his book Nemesis, he dovotes to murders, rapes (In the THOUSANDS!!!) and homicides that have been committed by US servicemen in Okinawa, usually with no punishment. It's disgraceful. Theres' no reason for these bases, it's imperialism, plain and simple.

[MasonJar]

58. Touche'

[Lorien]

61. Why not? Real estate in Florida isn't moving

may as well build a military base in place of all those empty condos!

[Canuckistanian]

62. I like his altitude

Now let's hear the opposition to the plan....

[unkachuck]

63. beautiful....

....now that's the kind of 'left' thinking I like to see....

[burrowowl]

65. Viva Rafael Correa Delgado!

[Andrushka]

66. He's said this for some time now, actually

But good it is being brought to light more. What a great president Correa is - more power to him.

Yes, it is a very good plan. Maybe they can even get flights to leave the base to "fumigate" certain parts of the country (like the US/Dyncorp does to Columbia from Manta).

They could start with a bit of "fumigation" up in DC (the White House, to be exact)...

(edit: spelling)

[dicknbush]

67. I like this guy..He calls Bush a Dimwit.....I think that is an insult to dimwits everywhere

Correa, a popular leftist economist, had promised to cut off his arm before extending the lease that ends in 2009 and has called U.S. President George W. Bush a "dimwit".

[Deep13]

72. So Equador is testing the fiction that all countries are equal in rights.

As I'm sure they are trying to demonstrate, Imperial Caesar does not allow non-imperial soldiers withing the imperial homeland. It would be like allowing Carthage to establish a base in Italy five miles from Rome. The only exception is Caesar's private Paetorian guard (Blackwater etc.)

[AllyCat]

74. Bwwwwhhhhaaa...oh that's great.

I really like this guy!

:rofl:

[rpannier]

76. That should be good for the economy

Their soldiers can spend their money in Miami.
I'm for it.

[LadyAziz]

77. Go Correa

I gave a speech on him in Spanish class. This guy is class, more presidents should be like him.
:bounce: :woohoo:

[Hardrada]

78. I wish we could have some big German bases here in the Midwest.

I don't mean Nazis but the current Germans who seem cool and still have good military music (and beer). They'd fit right in especially around Milwaukee.

[Judi Lynn]

79. I went to find a photo of Octoberfest to post in honor of your comments.

After seeing this one, I'm starting to feel a little dizzy, a little ill! Oh, jeez!

[Hardrada]

90. Looks like fun to me!

[Zywiec]

84. The Germans have a base in the Washington DC area and Texas. n/t

[autorank]

80. 1 down, 999 to go. That's how many facilities we have overseas - 1000!

This guy is a riot. That's how you deal with irrational power.

What kind of base would Equador have? It could be a "peace" base or a Equadorial base or whatever.

10 points for irony and absurdity at the same time.

K*R

[dmr]

81. They could share Opa-Locka with Brothers to the Rescue

I moved from Miami a few years back, so not sure if the Brothers are still flying?

Anyway, your post and this thread made me laugh.

:)

Edit - grammar

[Judi Lynn]

89. I think Jose Basulto may have been grounded after his shoot-down event,

but I'm quite sure I've heard they are still around.

The guys who drove over in their car boat could have used their services to avoid being seen by the Coast Guard, no doubt!

[eridani]

82. Amazing what those cheeky little hobbits get up to--

--while the Eye of Mordor is turned to the east searching for The Precious.

[happygoluckytoyou]

83. SORRY SENOR....DID YOU THINK W WAS ASKING?

KISS YOUR LEFT ARM GOOD-BYE AMIGO...
IT ISN'T LIKE THE U S OF A ASKS PERMISSION TO SHARE THEIR DEMOCRACY ACROSS THE GLOBE--- BEND OVER AND PREPARE TO GET YOUR SHARE

[Joanne98]

86. Great idea!

[Blue_Tires]

lol...brilliant

[Blue_Tires]

87. lol...brilliant

[tom_paine]

88. Good for him. Tyrannical scum like the Bushies MUST be stood up to.

This man should fear for his nation and his life.

Economic and perhaps even "terrorist" reprisals will soon be visited upon him by the Bushies.

[Progressive Friend]

91. Correa is awesome!

There are so many great leaders in Latin America right now.

[Vidar]

92. Brovo Correa! Let's keep the gusamos in line.

[arcos]

94. Correa rocks!

:)

[Judi Lynn]

96. The progress being made in Latin America is beautiful to witness, arcos. n/t

[arcos]

97. Just wait...

We will elect the first black female (and people who know say lesbian too!) President of the Americas in 2010.

http://www.usc.edu.co/eventos/boletines_archivos/epsy.bmp

Current President Oscar Arias and vicepresident Laura Chinchilla, as well as former Presidential Candidate Ottón Solís and former Vicepresidential Candidate (and next President!) Epsy Campbell.

[Judi Lynn]

99. You broke the news here first! You've introduced Epsy Campbell.

She looks as if she is very much at home in the political world, and enjoys it. Cool!

Thanks for the prediction.

[Judi Lynn]

100. Ecuador's Correa vows radical reforms in assembly

Ecuador's Correa vows radical reforms in assembly
Wed Oct 31, 2007 1:54am GMT

By Alexandra Valencia

MONTECRISTI, Ecuador, Oct 30 (Reuters) - Ecuador's President Rafael Correa on Tuesday vowed a radical overhaul to curb elites he branded "pillaging pirates" as he inaugurated the site for an assembly that will rewrite the constitution.

Riding on top of an auburn horse, the left-wing leader was greeted by cheering crowds in coastal Montecristi, where the government-controlled assembly will soon start debating the draft for a blueprint for the unstable Andean country.

"The assembly will bring changes from the root, radical reforms ... so this country can finally advance freely," Correa told thousands of backers outside the towering glass and metal building that will host the 130-member assembly.

Correa's Alianza Pais party in September won the majority of seats needed to pass constitutional changes in the assembly, expected to start its six-month debate next month.
(snip)

"The country will never again be the victim of pirates... who use their own kind of democracy to crush our people," Correa said.

More:
http://uk.reuters.com/article/oilRpt/idUKN3026832920071031

[Peace Patriot]

101. There is a lot of hidden agenda in this scurrilous Reuters article about Correa

Rafael Correa is entitled to say what he likes--with an EIGHTY PERCENT approval rating (Reuters doesn't mention the numbers--a "lopsided win," indeed)--whether it's calling Bush "a dimwit" or ridiculing the "pillaging pirates" of the rightwing rich elite and their global corporate predator pals. But Reuters is NOT entitled.

I'll pass over "a radical overhaul" (of the government) and "the unstable Andean country" (Ecuador), as so vague that I don't really know what they mean. Correa may use the word "radical" (not sure of the translation) but a news service should not do so without using quotes and naming the source. "Radical" to whom? Bush is radical, in my opinion. Let politicians--even bad ones--use what language they wish. Stop editorializing in news articles! It's an out of control disease among journalists, and is most often used to push the latest fascist/corporatist line.

Which brings me to the items in this article that are truly objectionable. For starters...

"His lopsided win has worried investors and opposition leaders who fear the former economy minister will use his strong mandate to follow the path of his close ally Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez and push for a socialist nation." --Reuters

WHAT "investors"? WHAT "opposition leaders"? We can't judge their credibility without names. They are nowhere named or quoted, and could be entirely invented, for all we know.

It reminds me of AP's howler about Hugo Chavez being "increasingly authoritarian"--also without names or quotes, attributed only by the phrase, "his critics say." I tracked it to an old fascist Catholic Cardinal from Venezuela, who had spent his entire career in the Vatican finance office, and was one of the few people the Vatican ever fired (in the fascist banking scandals of the 1980s). It now, of course, regularly emanates from the Bush Cartel State Department, and its war profiteering corporate news monopoly lapdogs like Reuters. And here it comes, just a bit further in the article...

"His (Correa's) opponents fear he will use the assembly to tilt South America's No. 5 oil producer on an AUTHORITARIAN path." --Reuters (my emphasis - read: Hugo Chavez).

"Authoritarian" against whom? Bush? Exxon-Mobile? "His opponents," they say. No names. No quotes. Not even a hint of who they are.

In alternating paragraphs--almost paragraph for paragraph--they state what Correa wants to do, and then counter it with what "his critics say."

This is loathsome journalism. And, really, if you want to know who their sources are, you could probably start with the Vatican and work down from there to the fascist paramilitary death squads in Colombia, in the pay of global corporate predators like Chiquita and Coca-Cola, and the Bush Junta--funneled through the U.S. taxpayer funded "war on drugs"--who have been plotting assassinations of Chavez (Venezuela's president), Morales (Bolivia) and Correa (Ecuador), and destabilization of their countries. "His critics say." "His opponents fear." THESE are Correa's (and Chavez's) critics. THESE are his opponents. Creeps. Fascists. Greedbags. Killers. Liars. Who cares what THEY fear?

As for Ecuador being "the unstable Andean country," it is important to ask why--where does the instability stem from?, and, Is instability always bad? What about creative turmoil? Ecuador has had 8 presidents in 10 years. The reason for the downfall of these governments was BAD policy--corrupt rightwing entrenchment, real "authoritarianism" (fascism), and increasing poverty. Rafael Correa is more than a breath of fresh air--he is a hurricane. He promised to sweep these highly corrupt operators out of the government, and has proceeded to do so. The country now has a government that 80% of the people enthusiastically support, embarked upon desperately needed reform to PUT THE COUNTRY ON A MUCH BETTER, MUCH MORE EQUITABLE AND MUCH STABLE COURSE. Fascism creates instability. Democracy ("consent of the people") does not.

Reuters references the PAST instability, but fails to assign its causes, and implies that Correa strongly addressing Ecuador's problems, in fundamental, structural ways, is somehow going to cause additional "instability," which is like saying that a doctor, who is about to perform surgery and remove a life-threatening tumor, is going to cause harm to a patient because a period of convalescence is necessary.

Fuck Reuters. I used to think they were a cut above the U.S. slobs who call themselves journalists. No more! They are equally bad. And Reuters' investors--who no doubt have their yachts and mansions subsidized by South America's poorest people, through the World Bank/IMF loan sharks--ought to be ashamed of this drivel, which MISINFORMS the business community about the achievements of the Bolivarian Revolution and its goals. Through "radical" ideas, like those of Chavez and Correa, Argentina was transformed from a World Bank "basetcase" into a strongly recovering country, with all indicators up. Venezuela has shown spectacular improvement, with the biggest growth in the PRIVATE sector! Wherever Bolivarian principles are enacted, everything improves--education and literacy levels, medical care coverage, infrastructure development, wages, large and small business activity, public participation in government and politics, human and civil rights, the arts, food self-sufficiency and food quality (not something Monsanto wants, though), and big cooperative projects (gas/oil pipelines, bridges, roads, housing).

Of the four Bolivarian countries, Venezuela and Ecuador are, in fact, remarkably free of turmoil. Venezuela has been stable for some time--having weathered every Bushite/rightwing tactic imaginable, to de-stabilize it. Chavez won the last election with 63% of the vote, and enjoys an approval rating of about 70%. Ecuador is on that path--with Correa having 80% of the voters on his side, for his constitutional reforms (in a recent referendum). If the Bushites and the goddamned rightwing paramilitaries keep their hands out of it, Ecuador will only grow in stability and prosperity. That's what democracy does--it permits a needed change of course--what our own country, currently, is so lacking in. (And we can thank the goddamned voting machines for that!) Imagine the U.S.A. without the change of course that FDR enacted. We would be a "banana republic" by now, certainly not a world power. (And guess where we are headed, under Bush fascism--and Democratic Party collusion in it? Straight to "banana republicanism"!)

Argentina is now stable, after being nearly destroyed by U.S. and European corporate profiteers. Venezuela's social justice-friendly loans to Argentina--to get them out from under onerous World Bank debt--was the seed of the Bank of the South (a new, regional lending institution that is driving the World Bank out of the region), and those loans helped turn Argentina into a healthy trading partner for Venezuela, Brazil and other countries. This is no doubt Reuters' problem. Its investment clientele are pissed off about Argentina being out of their debt. How can they move in, hot upon the World Bank destruction of the economy, and loot its resources and its people?

Bolivia had a lot of big protests by the poor majority before Morales was elected. I don't consider that to be "instability." It's the surgical knife before the healing. Sometimes turmoil is creative and necessary. But the RIGHTWING continues to foment instability, as it often does when the rich are asked to pay their fair share of the costs of a good society. The rich rural landowners--another group that hires thugs and paramilitaries to get its way, by violence--is trying to split off the resource-rich rural provinces from the central government, so that the oil, gas and other resources will not benefit the poor (as Evo Morales intends), but will only benefit the rich and their corporate colluders.

Instability derives from unfairness, from greed, from fascist violence, from terrible wrongs. Countries that can change, democratically, and that elect governments that serve the common good, do not become unstable--except, on occasion, by traitorous or outside agents, bent on overpowering and looting them. But democracy can even weather those kinds of assaults, as Venezuela has shown. The power of the people is a beautiful thing to see. Recommended: "The Revolution Will Not Be Televised"--a documentary about how the people of Venezuela stopped a rightwing military coup attempt, and saved their Constitution, their democracy and their elected president. This fascist shit--supported by Bushites, DLC Democrats, oil corporations and assorted global corporate predators--is what is causes "instability." The power of the people does not.

Also recommended: A much fuller, more thoughtful view of Rafael Correa and of Ecuadoran "instability," just after he was elected:

Ecuador: protest and power
Open Democracy
November 28, 2006
By Guy Hedgecoe

http://www.globalexchange.org/countries/americas/ecuador/4380.html